The Farr Side: Feeding my ’80s pop music fix

Thursday

Feb 15, 2018 at 10:00 AMFeb 15, 2018 at 10:00 AM

David T. Farr More Content Now

I have a severe case of “The 1980s” again.

It happens every once in a while. The only fix is a serious dose of the albums such as “Thriller,” “Purple Rain” soundtrack, “She’s So Unusual,” “The Joshua Tree,” “An Innocent Man,” “The Joshua Tree,” “Appetite For Destruction,” “Footloose” soundtrack, “Control,” “Foreigner 4,” “Faith,” “Big Bam Boom,” “No Jacket Required,” “Scarecrow,” “Born In The U.S.A,” “Synchronicity” ... OK, you get the picture. I need to hear my music.

I will argue this until the day I die, the 1980s were the best decade for music. If you don’t believe me, turn on some early Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen, REO Speedwagon, Cyndi Lauper, John Cougar Mellencamp, Wham, Hall and Oates, Lionel Richie, Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson or Whitney Houston, and notice what happens. The room will come alive. There’s something about music from that time that makes people happy.

I love new music, too, don’t get me wrong. But lately, I’m drawn back to that period. Perhaps I was at my happiest. I can’t explain it. I love hopping into my car and cranking “‘80s on 8″ on Sirius XM. It’s my go-to station for a quick fix. Don’t they say admitting you have a problem is usually the first step toward recovery?

I don’t think of it as a problem, though. It’s more a frame of mind. I’m at the age when you find yourself “finding yourself” all over again.

If you want to find me on a Saturday night, most likely I’m tuned in to WBET 99.3, listening to Casey Kasem’s ’80s edition of “American Top 40.” It’s awesome reliving some of those memories. I can remember listening to the original air dates. I’m weird that way.

Last weekend, Kasem took us back to the week in 1981. It was so fun to listen to the top hits again. The long-distance dedication spoke to me, though. Someone wrote to Casey to say how much music had an impact on him and his friends, even saving them. He asked Kasem to play Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.” It was to thank all those singers, probably from the late ’70s, that serenaded his prime time. I could relate, lying in the dark listening to a countdown from 1981 and thinking the same things about those artists.

I talk to a lot of people every day and ’80s music often comes up in conversation. Thank goodness for Casey Kasem’s countdowns on Saturday and Sunday nights.

I want to get back out again and see some good concerts. Wouldn’t you know it — I’m heavily drawn to seeing some of my 1980s favorites again. There are so many on the touring circuit.

I’ve been a life-long fan of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They are responsible for a massive repertoire of hits that added to the soundtrack of my life. I can’t enjoy an ’80s fix without “You Make My Dreams,” “Out Of Touch,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),” “Maneater,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Adult Education” and “One On One.“

I was excited to learn the duo is playing in summer 2018 at Van Andel Arena. I’ve wanted to see them live for quite some time. And they will be joined by Train. How cool will that be? — David T. Farr can be reached at farrboy@hotmail.com. You also can find The Farr Side on Facebook.